Post Processing Research

Timelapse Compositing

The Boardwalk Empire introduction demonstrates a few special effects which are constructed in a similar manner to what I have already planned for our groups short film. The main effect that I am aim to recreate a recurring motif show's intro, and is shown at 0:17, 0:31, 0:52 and 0:55.

The special effect is comprised of a composite between two layers, the foreground  in this circumstance the figure, who was presumably shot against a blue or green screen and chroma keyed and lighting adjusted. The second, background layer is a timelapse of the sky. The two are combined resulting in the character looking out towards the ocean as a normal speed, with the footage of the sky behind him playing at a much faster and contrasting rate, with rough and dramatic clouds rapidly moving above.

In this example, the effect is used to show the character's power, almost portraying him as the god Neptune, his internal moral conflicts and emotions and the rough and brutal nature of his life as a gangster, and generally create a foreboding atmosphere. In my groups short, I would like to use a similar effect to demonstrate the passing of time and the character's thoughts of reliving his attack as a he slowly walks away from the scene of it.

Cinemagraphs

The initial inspiration for this time-lapse composited shot came from Cinemagraphs, short and often very simple looping animations in which most of the frame is still, with the remainder subtly being animated, such as moving hair blowing in the wind of a still person, or a man shuffling a newspaper amidst a still city.

I had initially thought to separate the character or a part of him from the scene to in a couple of shots to show that he is deep in thought and isolated. This would also show the transition period between the real world and his thoughts.

Cinemagraphs are commonly found in the format of looping animated GIFS, which has made them easy to distribute and view across the web, this format as well as the use of the web has near wholly allowed them to gain the small following that these images currently have.

Some examples